Chris Young‘s eponymous debut album came out in 2006, the same year he won Nashville Star. That record was followed by The Man I Want To Be, out in 2009, a project that includes three No. 1 hits, with the title track, plus “Gettin’ You Home (The Black Dress Song),” and “Voices.”

Young has spent almost two decades as a country music hitmaker. It’s why he tries to make each record, and especially his latest I Didn’t Come Here To Leave, better than the last.

“It took so long to get my first number one and then they just started coming,” Young tells Apple Music / Today’s Country Radio. “And it was like that one, The Man I Want to Be, which I would be remiss if I didn’t talk about Brett James and unfortunately losing him, Nashville lost an amazing, amazing man. And it just continued from there with the songs. And then, every time you make a new album, it’s like, ‘What’s going to make this one different?’ And I think this one has its own vitality, energy and being.”

Why Chris Young Named His Album ‘I Didn’t Come Here To Leave’

Young wrote the title track of I Didn’t Come Here To Leave with Kyle Fishman and Dallas Davidson. Of all of the 14 songs on the album, Young feels that one best represents where he is now, and his future in country msuic.

“I liked the sentiment of this. Like, ‘Hey, I’ve still got a bunch of stuff that I want to say even after, this is my tenth album,'” Young explains. “So, I like the idea of that. And also, just that it’s something that you’re going to crank and roll your windows down.”

The Songs on ‘I Didn’t Come Here To Leave’

I Didn’t Come Here To Leave begins with “Some Around Here.” For Young, it’s the perfect way to introduce his latest project.

“I think that definitely taps into that atmosphere, and just a good time vibe,” Young shares. “And it’s a good way to kick the record off. So, that was a fun one to write and even more fun to sing. I want it, right out of the box, I want you having a good time listening to this record. And it goes a lot of places, obviously there’s breakup songs, there’s meaningful songs, there’s love songs, there’s all of those things in there. So it’s nice to come out swinging with something fun.”

I Didn’t Come Here To Leave includes fun songs like “Some Around Here,” the title track, and more. But it also includes serious songs, like “Just Keep Living,” a song inspired by his father’s health crisis.

“I wrote this about my dad’s battle with cancer,” reveals the singer. “And he beat it, kicked its a–, and he is still hanging. He’s had two heart attacks. This guy is just like, ‘That wall over there, I’m just going to walk through it.’ Old country guy… Dale Earnhardt mustache. But I love my dad, and I actually had to call him because this was so personal. I was like, ‘Are you sure you’re okay with me putting all this out there into the world?’ And he said, ‘Yeah.'”

See a track list for I Didn’t Come Here To Leave below.

All The Songs And Songwriters On Chris Young’s I Didn’t Come Here To Leave Album

1. Some Around Here (Chris Young/Chris DeStefano/Jason Duke/Josh Hoge)
2. I Didn’t Come Here To Leave (Chris Young/Kyle Fishman/Dallas Davidson)
3. Good As Yours (Chris Young/Jonathan Smith/Jordan Walker/Trannie Anderson)
4. I Hope It’s Okay (Chris Young/Dave Fenley/Davis Forney/Austin Machado)
5. I Feel A Cold One Coming On (Chris Young/Tyler Reeve/Trent Tomlinson/Josh Gleave)
6. ‘Til The Last One Dies (Ben Hayslip/Seth Mosley/Jordan Walker)
7. Pour Some Whiskey On It (Chris Young/Jessie Jo Dillon/Steven Lee Olsen/Jimmy Robbins)
8. Boots On The Ground (Chris Young/Chris DeStefano/Jason Duke/Josh Hoge)
9. Tin Roof (Ty Graham/Adam Wood/ Trenton Michael Fisher)
10. Dirt And Daisies (Chris Young/Casey Brown/Deric Ruttan/Parker Welling)
11. Just Keep Living (Chris Young/Chris DeStefano/Jason Duke/Josh Hoge)
12. Jesus, Momma, Country Radio (Chris Young/Chris DeStefano/Taylor Phillips/Josh Phillips)
13. What Would You Take (Doug Johnson/Steve Diamond)
14. Brake Lights (Chris Young/ Hillary Lindsey/Ty Graham/Jesse Frasure)

Photo Credit: Black River Entertainment